Hip-form and stocking-supporter.



No. 755,455. PATENTBD'APR. 5, 1904. G. BEBLBR.

HIP FORM AND STOCKING SUPPORTER.

no MODEL Y APPLmATIoH FILED JULY 17, 190s.

www @so as Patented April 5, 1904..

PATENT OFFICE.

GERTRUDE BEELER, OF SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS.

HIP-FORNI AND STOCKlNG-SUPPORTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 756,455, dated April 5,1904.

Application led July 17,1903. Serial No. 165,982. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, GERTRUDE BEELER, a citizen of the United States,residing at San Antonio, in the county of Bexar and State of Texas, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Hip-Forms andStocking-Supporters, of which the following is a specification. Myinvention pertains to hipforms and stockingsupporters for ladies wear;and it consists in a combined hip-form and stockingsupporter thenovelty,utility, and practical advantages of which will be fullyunderstood from the following description and claims when taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a Viewillustrating the operation of my novel combined hip-form andstockingsupporter, and Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view illustrative ofthe manner in which the members of the stocking supporter are applied.

Similar letters designate corresponding parts in both views of thedrawings, referring to which- A is the hip-form of my combined device; BB, the members of the stocking-supporter thereof, and O O stockings. Thehip-form is preferably made of suitable textile material, is providedwith a straight upper edge c and a curved lower edge b,whereby it isgradually reduced in height from its back to its front, and comprises asuitable number of gores c, according to its size, a large form for astout figure embodying a larger number of gores than that for a slenderfigure. Each of the gores has a straight front edge Z to afford astraight-front effect and a curved rear edge e to t the figure. Inaddition to the gores c the form comprises reinforcing-strips c' ofstrong material, stays f, one at each seam,connecting gores, stays g atthe front edges of the form, hooks 7L, connected to said front edges, anupper pair of laces el, connected to the upper ends of said front edges,and a lower pair of laces j, connected to the front edges at about themiddle of the height thereof. The staysfg, which may be of steel, bone,cane, or other material suitable to the purpose of the inven-` tion, aredesigned to prevent the formation of wrinkles in the form, while thereinforcingstrips c', which intersect the staysf, contribute materiallyto the strength and durability of the form. Two pairs of laces, arrangedas stated, are employed to effect connection between the front edges ofthe form in order that the upper portion of the form may be tightened toa greater extent than the lower portion thereof when necessary, and viceversa. 4

In applying my improved form to the figure it is laced so that there isa space of two and a half or three inches between its front edges. Whenthus applied to a stout figure, the form serves' to retain the hips andabdomen in place, and thereby prevents distention of the bowels, and italso holds the flesh steady while walking without interfering with thenatural movements of the body, affords a` sense of ease and security,and in general assists materially in making a stout figure look asnature intended it should. When applied to the figures of slender ladieswho are compelled to resort to the use of pads, the form serves toeffectually prevent slipping of the pads,and thereby contributesmaterially to the natural appearance of the ligure. The form is furtheradvantageous, since it can be conveniently worn over a corset as well aswhen a corset is not worn. When used, as stated, in conjunction with acorset, the form prevents breaking of the stays of the corset or turningin of the same at the waist-line, and it also serves to prevent the lineacross the hips ordinarily caused by the lower edge of the corset. Fromthis it follows that a skirt fitted .over my improved form is not liableto roll up around the waist and render the wearer uncomfortable.

Nothwithstanding its advantages, as pointed 1out in the foregoing, itwill be observed that the hip-form is very light and inexpensive inconstruction.

The members B of the stocking-supporter comprised in my improved` deviceare permanently connected to and suspended from the front of the form Aat opposite sides 'of the vertical median line thereof. Said members Brespectively comprise an upper strip m, preferably of non-elasticmaterial, a short strip n, of elastic material, connected to the strip mby a clasp p, adjustable thereon, or other suitable means and providedwith means, preferably a button q and a complementary keeper r, forconnecting it to a stocking, long strips s, of elastic material,connected Yto the strip m by the clasp p or other means and havingcomplementary buckle members t u at their lower ends, and a cross-stripc, of elastic material, connected to the strips s by buckles w,adjustable lengthwise of the latter. The cross-strip fz) has for itspurpose to hold the upper portions of the strips s at the properdistance apart, and in virtue of the bucklesw it will be observed thatit will give to the :movements of the leg and may be readily adjusted upor down, as desired.

. In applying the hose-supporter of my improved device the strips n areconnected with the upper portions of the stockings and the long strips sare carried back of the knees,

where they areV crossed, as indicated by Fig. 2, after which they arebrought forward and connected in front of the leg through the medium ofthe buckle members t u. When the members of the stocking-supporter arethus applied, it will be observed that perfect freedom is afforded theknees, and when the wearer is sitting or reclining the elastic strips sare perfectly loose, while the strips n serve to hold the stockings inplace; also that when the wearer is standing upright the strips s removestrain from.the strips n, with the result that there is no liability ofthe buttons g and keepers fr tearing holes in the stockings. It willalsobe observed that when the members of the stocking-supporter areproperly connected to the stockings and applied to the legs, asdescribed, they will serve to hold the front of the hip-form down in itsproper position and against working up.

I have entered into a detailed description of the construction andrelative arrangement of the parts embraced in the present and preferredembodiment of my invention in order to impart a full, clear, and exactunderstanding of the same. I do notvdesire, however, to

be understood as confining myself to such spe? ciic construction andrelative arrangement of parts, as such changes or modifications 'may bemade in practice as fairly fall within the scope of my invention asclaimed.

In some cases an elastic string may be used for lacing the hip-form, asa better result is obtained thereby. In employing an elastic lacing thefigure is given more freedom, al-

lowing the form to adjust more readily to the curves of the body orfigure.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, 1s-

l. A hip-form open at its front, and made up of gores each of which hasa straight front edge and a curved rear edge, stays arranged at theseams between the gores, other stays arranged at the front, verticaledges of the form, and means detachably connecting said front edges; thesaid form having a straight upper edge a and a curved lower edge wherebyit is gradually reduced in height from its back to its front, verticaledges.

2. A liip-form open at its front, and made up of gores each of which hasa straight front edge and a curved rear edge, stays arranged at theseams between the gores, other stays arranged at the front, verticaledges of the form, reinforcingstrips c intersecting the first-mentionedstays, and means detachably connecting the front edges; the said formhaving a straight upper edge a and a curved lower edge whereby it isgradually reduced in height from its back to its front, vertical edges.

3. The combination of a hip-form, and stocking-supporting membersconnected to and suspended from the front of the form, and respectivelycomprising a strip having means for engaging and holding a stocking, andstrips suiiiciently long to be crossed back of the knee, and providedwith means whereby they may be connected in front of the legf 4. Thecombination of ahip-form, and stocking-supporting members connected toand suspended from the front of the form, and respectively comprising anupper, nonelastic strip, a short strip, of elastic material, havingmeans for engaging and holding a stocking, strips s, of elasticmaterial, connected to the non-elastic strip; said strips s beingsulficiently long to be crossed back of the knee, and being providedwith means whereby they may be connected in front of the knee, and across-strip, of elastic material, connected to and adjustable on thelong elastic strips.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

GERTRUDE BEELER.

IOO

